Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Copyrights belong to Jason, Melinda, and The WB

Summary: Sequel to "A Thousand Days Regret"

Category: Alex and Isabel

Notes: Dedicated to all the Stargazers, and anyone who believes in happy endings.

***

Isabel stood on the backside wall of the Greek Theatre. It had been a long day coming and was finally time for "The Abductions" show. She was standing there facing a door she'd gotten to know rather well. She'd been sneaking into the place for the past two weeks. Getting to know the layout of the backstage area and where she was most likely to find Alex when they arrived. Two weeks of anticipation, planning, pretend conversations she would have with him. Two weeks of all that and she was still stuck outside staring at a dumb door.

A sheer bundle of nerves coupled with healthy dose of fear kept her from opening it. Her hand trembled uncontrollably every time she reached for the knob. It also didn't help that she was practically exhausted. The past few days had easily topped any sleepless nights she'd previously had.

"Calm down," she commanded herself. "It's just Alex."

Taking a few more deep breaths and reciting her newfound mantra of 'It's just Alex', she placed her hand on the lock and slipped it open. She was greeted by a huge stack of amplifiers scattered throughout the hallway, and quietly maneuvered around them. All the sneaking around reminded Isabel of the good old days of running around Roswell searching for whatever might tell them exactly who they were. At least this time she knew exactly what her mission was: find Alex, apologize oh so sincerely, and he'll take you in his arms forgive you instantly, and you'll live happily ever after. She let out a little laugh heavily laced with her anxiety.

"One can only hope," she muttered.

She peered from behind the corner at the end of the hallway, searching for any security guards, roadies, or whoever might be lurking backstage that would give her the boot on sight. She saw no one and proceeded to the rooms she'd previously discovered to be the dressing rooms. The first room was basically empty, save for one guy passed out on the floor. Isabel recognized him from the band's many photos. It was Jay the drummer, looking peaceful with drumsticks gripped firmly in his hands.

"Next," she thought.

Second room just had a bunch of equipment piled up to the ceiling. "Third times a charm," she said aloud.

She wandered up to the third door and stopped abruptly when she heard the voices inside.

"Alex man," Jimmy said. "Why so glum?"

"Don't play coy, Jimmy," Alex replied. "You know this is where she lives, and that she'll be here."

Isabel's stature shrank a little; he couldn't even bring himself to speak her name.

"Well maybe she won't show," Jimmy said, trying to reassure his friend. "How do you even know she's heard of us?"

"I just know," Alex said. "Just like I know she'll be here tonight, I can almost feel it."

"We're on in a half-hour. Try to climb up out of the pit of gloom you threw yourself in." Jimmy said, exiting the room. "I'll come back and get you."

"Yeah, sure, simple," Alex sighed.

Isabel stepped a few feet back and hid behind a giant pile of wires, watching Jimmy stroll down the hallway. "This is it," she thought. "Now is the time."

Then why couldn't she move? She just stood there frozen behind those damn wires.

"Don't tell me you're going to lose the stones to confront him NOW," a little voice in her head spoke. "After all you've been through, you're going to just chicken out?"

Isabel let out a slow jagged breath and quietly moved from behind her hideaway and stood in the doorway.

***

Alex's mind was racing; a hundred million memories of his relationship with Isabel were swimming through brain. It was bad enough he was in the same city limits as her now. The mere mention of this town 'Berkeley' sent him back to the moment his still beating heart died, and now he was here. Sitting in a tiny little room on the school grounds that sent his love running from him. To top it all off, he knew she was here. It was as if he could feel her presence in the building, like he could sense her or something.

"You're losing it, Whitman," he said into the mirror.

He took in a deep breath and caught a whiff of an all too familiar scent he'd tried to forget so long ago. Immediately his back stiffened and he swallowed back hard, trying to keep the lump in his throat at bay. He didn't turn though, fearing it was his imagination again. This had happened so many times before. He could almost feel her body next to him, smell her essence, feel her blonde strands rippling through his fingers. He choked back a sob, realizing he was doing it again. No matter how much she'd hurt him, how painful it was to have his heart ripped from his chest and stomped on... He needed to be with her again, even if just for a moment, he longed for it so badly.

He put his bass down and sighed deeply, his head snapping up the instant he realized the scent was still lingering through the air. The orangy-spicy scent that was only Isabel's. He head turned towards the door and saw her standing there, silent and staring at him. Alex threw his head in his hands.

"No," he said. "It's not...you're not real."

"Not real..." he said again and again.

Isabel stood there speechless, Alex's stammering almost sent her fleeing from the building, to let him think it was indeed his imagination. She grabbed the doorframe and stood her ground. It had been to long since she had last seen him, and the mere sight of him left her breathless for a few moments.

"Alex," she said, her voice barely audible.

He didn't move, but his rambling ceased.

"You're really here, aren't you?" he said, staring at the floor.

"I am," she replied, moving closer.

"I knew you'd be. I don't know how, and I don't know why, but I knew you'd be here..."

"Alex..." she began.

"Why?" he said, cutting her off. "Why would you come to see me? It was pretty clear that day you wanted nothing to do with me ever again."

The edge in his voice knocked what little stride she had in her step, but she regained herself.

"That's what I came to talk to you about, Alex. I've heard your songs...all of them. I also read the interview, and I know...I know that...I just needed to see you again."

"Why?" he asked again in a bitter tone, almost shouting. "You wanted to see how miserable I am without you? How with one little snap of Isabel Evans' fingers my life could instantly turn to dust?!"

"Oh god," he thought. This was not what he meant to be saying at all, and he was trying so hard to fight back his anger but just couldn't clamp it down.

"I was trying to protect you," she stammered. "I thought we wanted different things to happen with our lives, Alex. I couldn't just let you..."

"Protect me?!" he shouted. "Look what protection got me, Isabel! Almost a blabbering lunatic who sees you at every turn, dreams of you every night only to wake up cold and alone. Is this what you wanted to see?! Protect me? Ha! It didn't do any good! It hurt as much as it would have anytime you decided I wasn't the one for you! Do you have any idea what it was like for me? How loving someone with everything that was in you to love, just to be shipped away at the first fear our lives weren't going in the same direction!"

Alex was breathing heavily and his blood was at full boil. The three years of anguish had been released in those few seconds. He started to calm a little, only to realize all that steam had been focused directly on her. He glanced up to see tears streaming down her face. His heart ached to make those tears stop. He hadn't meant to yell, but it was all just so pent up inside of him and came pouring out.

Isabel stood, frozen. She anticipated this would be difficult but had no idea it would end up with Alex screaming at her.

"What did you expect?" that little voice in her head asked. "He would actually welcome you with open arms, instantly forgetting that you spat on him and ran away?"

His yelling only reassured her fear that she had messed up any chance with him again. It was beyond repair. She backed slowly toward the door.

"This was a mistake," she whispered. "I shouldn't have come."

She turned to leave when Alex grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he said. "I can't just let you leave...not again."

"Why not?" she asked, her voice trembling. "It seems pretty clear that I cause you nothing but hurt."

His eyes dropped to the floor.

"That was years of misery talking, Is. But now that I see you again, I can't help but..."

He lifted his head to meet her gaze; her tears still welled up in her eyes.

"I can't look at you and not have my heart do summersaults. I wish it I could say that I didn't still love you, but it would be such a lie. Never in my life have I ever needed someone so much as I need you, Is."

He loosened his grip on her wrist and took her hand in his, gently kissing her fingertips before placing them on his heart.

"It always has and always will, beat only for you," he said with a faint smile tracing his mouth.

Isabel found it hard to breathe again. His tender gestures were causing her insides and her legs to melt. Was she forgiven? Did he want to...? She felt her heart beat still as his other hand traced the outlines of her face. Tears dripped onto his fingers and he brushed them away as quickly as they came.

"Ssh, don't cry," he murmured into her ear. "This is a happy occasion. We get our storybook ending."

"Promise?"

"Sealed with a kiss," he said, leaning in.

She let go of the bottom lip she was so nervously chewing on and waited to feel his mouth on hers. It started slowly at first, lips mildly brushing against lips, familiarizing with one another once again. Alex ran his fingers through her hair, squeezing her closer. She urged his mouth apart, darting her tongue into him. He let out a breath of surprise before whole heartedly returning her passion. The kisses soon grew furious; her hand roamed his back and lightly clawed their way around.

Alex lifted her off her feet, never breaking the embrace. Isabel was intrigued by how much stronger he'd become, and was glad he lifted her up. It was getting much too difficult to stand on her own with each passing second. Three years of misery and loneliness between them were quickly being washed away with every second and each movement of their tongues.

Isabel let a low moan escape her throat as she lightly nibbled Alex's lower lip before sliding her tongue across it and returning to his hungry mouth. He broke contact briefly to peck each one of her cheeks, and say, "How I've missed you."

She wrapped her arms more firmly around his neck, and stared deeply into his eyes making sure he knew she meant it with everything in her.

"I love you, Alex."

He let his own tears escape his eyelids, "How I've longed to hear you say that."

They were about to meet in another fiery embrace when a voice outside the door bellowed, "Alex! Come on man, we're up!"

Alex set Isabel back on her feet and entwined her fingers in his.

"Let's go," he said, leading her out of the dressing room and toward the stage. "You're going to have the best seat in the house."

Just behind the curtain she stopped abruptly.

"So you forgive me?" she asked.

He let out a little chuckle before his face turned serious.

"Don't you know me at all?"

He took her in his arms again, their lips met, the curtain rose, and the crowd roared...

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